


Cherry and Katie in Who Killed Markiplier?

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Who Killed Markiplier? (Web Series)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-04 19:11:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17903879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: Katie and Mark host a special dinner party with friends coming over for a visit and to also spend the night to share some breakfast the next day. However, the most unexpected thing happens: Mark is killed, but who would've or could've done it? Cherry must help her friend in need along with the help of Ethan in this sudden murder mystery visit to Markiplier Manor.





	1. Chapter 1

Katie waited patiently by the mansion door, a smile on her face ready to meet her and Mark's guests. She had already greeted the Detective, Abe, and the Mayor, Damien, and was waiting for Colonel William and her best friend Cherry to arrive. She had a smile on her face and looked excited for the last two guests to arrive. What looked like a fancy car pulled up and Cherry came out, wearing a black dress with white sparkles on it with slip-on black dress shoes, and her hair had been done differently, but there was still a blue streak in it. She also seemed to be wearing make-up as this was a rather exotic event, and she wanted to look good enough for Katie and Mark to fit in with the other guests. Katie was wearing a simple but long black dress, a shawl with red decor and black heeled shoes. Her glasses were currently gone and her hair was done in a side braid with a rose in and her necklace was a simple black choker. Her make up consisted of eye-shadow and lipstick. She straightened out her skirt and then looked at the door ready to answer it.

"You look perfectly lovely." Mark smiled to Katie.

Katie smiled softly. "Thank you, my darling... Go upstairs and wait to make your big entrance." she suggested with a smile.

"Oh, you know me so well, you behave down here now~" Mark smirked playfully to Katie.

"No promises." Katie giggled and kissed his cheek.

Mark chuckled before going up the stairs, giving a delicate wave to her.

Colonel William was walking up to the door, then noticed Cherry. "Ah, hello, are you here for the party too?" He asked her.

"Oh, yes," Cherry smiled softly. "Katie's a very close friend of mine."

"Oh, Bully! And here I thought I was gonna be the last guest to arrive. My friends call me the Colonel. You're both welcome to do the same, but uh, after you." The Colonel smiled.

Ethan exited the car and offered his arm politely to Cherry.

"All right, come along, Ethan." Cherry gave a small smile back before smiling to her date for this evening.

The Colonel let them pass to go in first. Ethan smiled and then reached out to open the door.

"Ah, bonjour!" The butler opened the door for them with a polite and friendly smile. "Welcome to Markiplier Manor. Your invitations, please?"

Cherry opened up her purse that her mother lent to her to hand over the invitation she was given from Katie. Ethan handed his forward too. Katie noticed the guests arriving and waited for the butler to finish taking the invitations before she could greet them.

"Very good, very good," The butler nodded and accepted their invitations, allowing them into the manor. "Right this way. Good luck at the table tonight. I shall fetch you a drink forthwith."

Cherry smiled politely as she followed the butler inside. He was no 'helluva butler', but still a kind soul nonetheless, at least, she thought so. The Mayor was inside, speaking to another man who seemed quite intelligent and discovering as a detective.

"Hello, welcome to the manor," Katie greeted them, kissing both their cheeks in a friendly way. "If you'll both just come in, I shall see you after I have greeted our last guest." she smiled.

Ethan smiled.

"Katie." Cherry smiled back, a little more sincerely this time since she knew Katie better.

Katie smiled. "Go and mingle with the others Cherry, Ethan, I'll catch up with you after I greet our last guest." she told them.

The Colonel gave the butler his invite.

"All right..." Cherry said to Katie softly. "Thanks so much for letting us come."

The butler accepted the Colonel's invite and allowed him inside. Katie smiled. She then let them pass, stepping up to greet the Colonel. Ethan led Cherry along carefully. The Colonel stepped forward and greeted Katie with a kiss to her hand. Cherry looked around as she came inside with Ethan.

"Oh! There you are, old friend," The Mayor smiled towards Ethan, ending his conversation with the other man for now. "How are you settling into your new office?"

"Alright, it's a bit strange though." Ethan chuckled.

"Now, I know it'll take some getting used to, but there's no one I would rather have alongside me to protect this great city of ours," The Mayor chuckled to Ethan. "Now I'll see you at the table soon, but try not to rob me blind again; we'll catch up..." he then took Cherry's hand, kissing the back of it. "Mi'lady."

"Sir." Cherry gave a small polite smile and nod.

Ethan smiled then went to check to see if there were hors d'oeuvres.

Katie conversed with the Colonel a moment and then let him in and looked to the Butler. "Benjamin, go and fetch our guests drinks please." she smiled.

"Yes, mi'lady." The butler smiled back before going to do so.

Katie then popped upstairs to inform Mark everyone was here.

"If you're looking for hors d'oeuvres, I'll get them when I'm good and ready! And stay out of my kitchen!" The chef glared, pointing a ladle at Ethan.

"Now, now. Let's not be rude to our guest," The butler scolded the chef before offering a glass to Ethan since he was closer by. "So sorry about that; here's your champagne. Enjoy your evening."

Cherry began to look around, but stayed close and safe beside Ethan, though she did wander on her own to the other guests, she hoped she would be social enough since she wasn't exactly shy, but sometimes had a hard time talking with new people.

Ethan took his glass. "Thank you." he said.

The Colonel mingled a tiny bit too. The butler handed Cherry her own glass.

"Cheers." Cherry smiled softly as she accepted the glass.

Ethan smiled back to that.

"Am I doing all right?" Cherry asked Ethan about interacting with others she didn't know well.

"You're doing fine." Ethan smiled to Cherry sweetly.

Cherry smiled back to him. Ethan then looked at the stairs.

"Ah, thank you, my dear." Mark smiled as he adjusted his robe while looking through a mirror to look presentable after being told by Katie that they had company.

Katie sorted out his cravat. "There, perfect as usual." she smiled and kissed his cheek.

"You always know just what to say~" Mark mused.

"I love you, Mark." Katie smiled softly to him.

"I love you too, my Kitty~" Mark smirked with a slight purr.

Katie blushed and smirked. "Keep talking like that and we'll not make it to the party." she chuckled.

Mark chuckled before he soon went out the door. "Very well, off I go then, best give the people what they want~" He then told Katie on the way out since he was arranged and ready to meet and greet the guests.

Katie smiled and decided to follow after him.

"Welcome, welcome, one and all! My name is Markiplier, and this is my lovely Katie," Mark smiled as he descended to the stairs with his beloved. "Thank you for joining me on this auspicious evening. So good to be surrounded by such close and trusted friends."

Cherry smiled as she looked up at the stairs to see Katie and Mark. Katie smiled warmly to everyone. Ethan smiled.

"Now, this evening, it's not all about the poker, it's not all about me," Mark continued. "It's about me, it's about you. So drink up and be merry! Life is for the living! And who knows? I could be dead tomorrow." he then concluded with a chuckle.

Cherry let out a small giggle as that seemed to be a joke. Katie chuckled along too as she too thought it was a joke. Ethan drunk his champagne, but wasn't the best drinker and so got quite drunk. He ended up in his bed at 1:30 AM only to wake up at 8:30.

"Ugh..." Cherry groaned as she seemed to wake up in the bath tub in the room of where Ethan fell asleep in.

Ethan sat up, stretched, then went and looked any of the others.

"Ah, good morning," The butler greeted Ethan with a silver tray. "Hope you had a good night's rest. I've prepared you a Seltzer with cocaine. Best thing for the morning after, if you ask me."

Ethan took it and glanced to it. He then put it down as he went to check on Cherry. Cherry rubbed her head, she didn't have her glasses on and seemed to have dark circles under her eyes.

"Are you alright?" Ethan asked Cherry, handing her glasses to her and helping her out of the tub.

"Ugh... I feel like I just got hit by an anvil..." Cherry murmured, accepting her glasses and his help.

"Come on, let's go find some aspirin." Ethan suggested.

"Please..." Cherry begged as she looked very bleak right now.

Ethan nodded. Then found some in the bathroom cabinet.

"Thank you..." Cherry wearily told Ethan for his help and the medicine to help numb her headache.

Ethan smiled softly.

"Ah... That's a bit better..." Cherry softly told Ethan. "Thank you so much."

"No problem, let's head downstairs..." Ethan suggested.

Cherry nodded as she went with Ethan to do as such.

Katie walked up to Damien looking slightly concerned. She was in her nightgown and house robe.

Damien looked back to Katie. "Well, look who's up." he then greeted the girl.

"Good morning, Damien... You haven't seen Mark, have you?" Katie asked worriedly. "He didn't come to bed last night." she explained.

"I remember last night we were in a game of Poker, but I was sure he went back to you last night." Damien replied.

Katie looked worried. "He didn't come to bed... I'll, uh, I'll go see if any of the others have seen him." she said quietly.

"I would, I'm sorry though..." Damien nodded, hoping she would be all right.

"See you later." Katie said quietly and went to see some of the other guests.

Damien nodded and let Katie go.

"Mi'lady." The butler greeted as he found Katie.

"Benjamin, you haven't seen Mark, have you?" Katie asked the butler.

"He's not with you?" The butler asked Katie, feeling rather dumbfounded. "Hm... You sure he's not in the bathroom?"

"I checked, and his side of the bed was cold and still neat so he didn't come to bed." Katie said.

"That doesn't sound like him..." Benjamin hummed in thought. "I'm sure he's around somewhere, maybe he's planning to surprise you for a fun evening last night."

Katie frowned slightly and decided to check downstairs. The butler nodded to Katie before going off mysteriously as any butler would in a rich residence. Katie went looking around.

Ethan noticed Damien then. "Good morning." he greeted.

"Ah, there's our little monster!" Damien smiled. "You really knocked em' dead last night. I haven't seen you go wild like that since our days at university. Good to let the beast out every once in awhile, eh, old friend?"

Cherry let out a small snort to that, looking somewhat better, but still a little groggy as she had a headache and it was early in the morning.

"Er, yeah." Ethan chuckled sheepishly.

"Then again, I'm still not exactly sure as to what we're supposed to be celebrating here," Damien soon said. "I mean, it's good to have the gang back together, but out of the blue like this seems... Anyway, now is not the time to become conspiratorial. Life is ours to choose as I always say. I have some work to finish, but I'll meet you at breakfast. We'll all catch up soon."

Cherry looked around, but she soon saw a rather ungodly sight. Ethan joined Cherry downstairs, jolting as a scream was heard.

"NO!" Katie screamed as she saw Mark dead on the floor.

There was then a clap of thunder.

"Did anyone hear that lightning?" The detective asked, coming into the room in his robe, before panicking at the sight of Mark. "OH, MY GOD! There's been a murder!"

"Oh, Katie!" Cherry cried, in anguish and sorrow for her dear friend, not having the time or the humor to deadpan the detective for 'hearing lightning'.

"Excuse me, did you hear light-" The butler was about to ask before soon panicking as well. "Oh, my God, murder!"

"Did you... MURDER!" Chef yelled, running in.

"Mark, wake up, wake up!" Katie yelled trying to get to check over Mark.

"What the hell happened here? Who's in charge around here?" The detective gave out questions before pointing towards Mark. "Trick question. That guy."

"What...?" Cherry narrowed her eyes to him slightly.

Mark of course did not respond or even notice Katie as he lay on the ground. Ethan looked stunned. Katie knelt by his body, checked his pulse then buried her face into his robe, her shoulders shaking with crying.

"Oh, Katie..." Cherry frowned as she felt so bad for Katie.

Benjamin came by Katie to help comfort her while also checking out Mark.

"And he's dead now, which makes me in charge," The detective decided before questioning Ethan like he was guilty. "So you better listen up good, bucko. 'Case you haven't been paying attention, there's been a bit of a killin'. And you're my prime suspect! So, you better get to explaining right quick as to the what, where, when, and why you happened to be here upon this man's death."

"He's so cold." Katie sobbed, clinging to Benjamin for now as he came to comfort her.

Ethan looked shocked he was grabbed.

"He's been dead awhile." Benjamin added.

"I'm so sorry, Katie." Cherry told her dear friend.

"A likely story," The detective chuckled, soon letting go of Ethan. "That, I happen to believe completely. Alright, you're off the hook for now, but I'm a detective."

"Oh, yeah? Prove you're a real dick!" The chef glared.

Katie sobbed but ended up hugging the taller but younger girl. Ethan looked relieved, after all he was innocent.

"Here's my badge, asshole, those are my old partners, don't ask me about them," The detective glared back to the chef, showing his badge, along with a stream of photographs of him with other people. "Fine! I'll tell you. Each one of them died. Each death more tragic than the last. A few of them even died in ironically hilarious ways. Which made it all the more tragic," He then turned to Ethan with a small smirk. "But, hey, you look like you're up to the task. You're my new partner."

Cherry's eyes widened, but she soon cooed and gently patted Katie on the back. Katie continued to cry quietly. Ethan looked between the chef and then the Detective and shook his head. The chef seemed a little sympathetic. Cherry gently shushed and cooed in the hug, she always knew how to comfort and support Katie and vice versa. Benjamin soon stood up, feeling very sorry for Katie.

"That's what all my old partners used to say... Right before they died," The detective told Ethan, not taking 'no' for an answer. "Alright. Hand me that fingerprinting kit behind you, partner."

Ethan turned to look for the kit but found nothing. When he turned back around the body was covered and it was taped off. Katie soon settled down enough to stop crying but looked like she was in a bit of shock.

"Thanks, partner." The detective smiled to Ethan before he was suddenly dressed.

Cherry wiped Katie's tears and stood close by her, like the sisters they were, though not by blood, but by friendly love. Ethan blinked, but then noticed Damien enter.

Katie glanced over to Damien too. "Excuse me, Cherry..." she murmured softly, knowing she had to be the one to break the news to their friend, though she couldn't help but tear up at how much he looked like Mark.

Cherry nodded and allowed Katie to go do what she needed to do.

"What the hell happened here?" Damien asked as he appeared.

"D-Damien... There's been a m-murder." Katie said quietly, not even flinching at the thunder and lightning.

"A murder?" Damien echoed. "Who?"

Katie opened her mouth to answer only to end up giving a small sob. She had to put her hand on his shoulder so not to fall down.

"It's Mark." The Chef informed for the lady of the house.

"I'm afraid he's telling the truth," The detective replied. "Mark's been killed."

"Why?" Damien wondered. "Who would do this?"

"That's exactly what me and my new partner here are here to find out." The detective replied, referring to Ethan.

Cherry looked very sad and bad for Katie for her struggled grief. Ethan gave a small shrug, obviously he had to. He then nodded and passed Damien a nearby box of tissues for Katie. The butler and detective seemed to argue for a minute, before Benjamin went to see to the others.

Damien gave a nod to Ethan. "I-I-I need to talk to The Colonel about this..." he then told him.

"I'll get back to cooking. All this death made me hungry." The Chef announced walking off to the kitchen.

"I'll come with you... I should tell him..." Katie sniffled to Damien, taking a tissue.

Ethan nodded to Damien.

"Very well then, come along." Damien allowed.

Cherry looked over to Katie, she just wished there was something she could do. Katie wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She held onto Damien's arm for support though.

Ethan looked to Cherry. "You could help us." he suggested.

"Come along." Damien smiled to Katie and helped her out of this devastating mess.

"Oh, um, do you think so?" Cherry asked.

Katie went off with Damien. Ethan looked to the Detective for confirmation. Damien smirked to Katie on the way out.


	2. Chapter 2

"All right, partner; it's time to get to work," The detective told Ethan before seeing Cherry. "Ah, is this your girlfriend?"

"What?! No!" Cherry gasped suddenly.

"No, this is my friend, Cherry." Ethan corrected.

"Ah, that's okay, it's always nice to see seeds of romance blossoming," The detective insisted much to Cherry and Ethan's annoyance before getting back on track about the death of Mark. "Judging by the temperature I measured rectally, which is obviously the most accurate way to get the inner body temperature of a corpse: that's a fact, totally procedure. Don't tell anyone I did it. I am sure Mark was killed around 1:30 AM last night. So what were you doing at 1:30 AM last night?"

Ethan recalled being asleep at that time. Cherry remembered being downstairs until later into the middle of the night where she woke up in the bathtub.

"I'm gonna ignore the strange fact that you sleep with your eyes open, but it checks out," The detective told Ethan like he was strange. "So, we need to figure out where everyone was and what they were doing around that time or, at the very least, who saw Mark last. You need to get out there. See if you can piece together the story of what happened last night. I'll stick around with the body and run more... Tests."

Ethan went to check the next room. Cherry followed Ethan, she felt her heart squeeze inside her chest to hear Katie's cries. The detective continued to investigate, it being his job and all. Ethan peeked through the gap. Cherry held her chest with a small pout as she stood beside Ethan. 

Ethan put an arm around Cherry. Cherry looked over to Ethan, cringing slightly at the fighting. Ethan hugged Cherry soothingly. Cherry merely cupped her mouth, looking around as she didn't feel quite like herself right now.

"Colonel..." Damien nodded to the man once they came into the next room. 

Katie sniffled.

"You mean you haven't heard?" Damien asked as he came inside with a depressed Katie.

Katie sniffled again. "M-Mark's been m-murdered." she said quietly, shakily.

The Colonel looked at them a moment and shrugged. "Oh, well it was bound to happen sooner or later." he said flippantly, trying to play it off. He didn't even seem to react as that comment set Katie sobbing again.

"How can you be so flippant?" Damien glared to the Colonel.

Katie covered her mouth and nose as she sobbed, and fell to her knees.

"Flippant? I'm taking this matter very seriously!" The Colonel retorted.

"Oh, don't give me that horseshit!" Damien argued. "I know you hated him, but, Goddammit, he reached out to you!"

Katie continued to sob.

"Oh, what do you want from me?" The Colonel glared.

"Well, I want you to care!" Damien defended. 

"Just because I'm not weeping like a child, or a woman, doesn't mean that I don't care." The Colonel glared.

"I can't believe you," Damien huffed before storming out, passing Cherry and Ethan on the way out. "You come and find me when you pull your head out of your ass! Excuse me."

The Colonel glared and looked away.

Cherry soon also came inside, and saw that Damien had up and left Katie. "Oh, Katie..." she frowned softly to her friend.

"Damien, I don't--! Oh! Ah, good to see you again! You were quite the rapscallion at last night's festivities. But you're probably here to help the detective with his 'investigation of murder'." The Colonel said, making air quotes at the last bit. He glanced as the thunder and lightning happened again. "Anyway, I'll help you; I'll tell you what happened to our dear friend Mark." He said, before mocking Mark. "'Oh! Look at me! My name is Markiplier, now! Forget all my friends or the people who helped me along the way! Just look at my money! Look at my new wife! Oh, I need to pay people to be my friends! Ha-ha-ha! You like me? Too bad. Oh, glug-glug! Oopsie poopsie. I can't hold my booze. Gotta go off to the little boys' room. Who wants to join me? I'm gonna go there upon my stairs. My house has more than one staircase. Oh, look at me and how great I am! Oh, no, I'm falling. Aah, I'm dead.' And that's what happened. Probably, anyway. So, if you need to corroborate this story with anybody else just be on your way and investigate the entire house. Go now, I'll be here with Katie when you're done." He told Ethan and Cherry, as he moved and hoisted the shorter girl up.

Katie was crying, though her sobs had lessened to merely quiet crying. Cherry blinked as that was rather vivid.

"Come with me," Benjamin gestured to be followed as he appeared in the room suddenly. "I need to show you something."

Ethan followed. The Colonel watched Ethan and Cherry go.

"Now, if you're looking for answers, there's really no mystery at all," Benjamin informed as he led Ethan out the door and down a set of stairs. "There's not a single detail of this house that I'm not privy to, and not a single guest that I have not personally vetted. Now I warn you: what you are about to see is not for the faint of heart. A domain of evil this is. But in we must go. You first."

Cherry looked a little anxious by that warning. Ethan looked down, then to Benjamin, then shrugged and went down first. Cherry allowed Ethan to go as she wasn't so sure, having a haunting feeling deep down inside of her. Ethan went down warily, glancing around only to see a broken bottle on the ground.

"Avert your eyes!" Benjamin rushed over to clean up the mess with a loud sob. "I'm so sorry you had to see this! Master would be so displeased! If only he were still alive! I just hope that the Mistress can ever forgive me!"

Cherry frowned as she stood around before holding her stomach. Ethan slowly backed away, pulling Cherry along too. He took her to the kitchen.

Chef was chopping tomatoes then noticed Ethan and Cherry, turning around knife and ladle in hand. "I thought I told you to stay out of my kitchen! Oh. You're helping that dick with his little investigation, huh? Well, I might look like a sweet and innocent man, but some people with short lifespans might think otherwise. I can't imagine why, can you? Last night, after I got rid of all of the evidence… Of that delicious meal I prepared, and wiped down all the fingerprints… From those filthy dishes, and sopped up all that blood, I retired to my room at 1:00 AM, and left my little buddy in charge like I always do," He kissed the small version of himself on the cheek. "He sees everything… Why don't you ask him what happened last night?" He suggested.

"Uh... Yeah... Good idea..." Cherry smiled sheepishly and nervously towards the Chef before leaving with Ethan.

Ethan looked at the security footage. Everything was quiet but Mark and the Detective spoke at 1:17 AM. He then looked away and saw he and Cherry were alone, the chef no where in sight. Cherry took a long thought over this as they watched the footage. She smiled sheepishly as she saw herself in the footage, making a goofball out of herself, having a little too much fun, but the main focus was Mark and the detective.

"Let's go have a look outside." Ethan suggested quietly.

"All right..." Cherry agreed as she stayed close with him.

Ethan walked outside with her, looking around, he was surprised to see Damien out there and couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Look, I'm sorry you saw that argument with the Colonel," Damien told both Cherry and Ethan. "I lost my temper, and it wasn't right, and... He must be in shock." 

"I guess..." Cherry said quietly.

Ethan nodded once.

"The Colonel's an eccentric; it's his best quality and his worst," Damien sighed as he patted his walking stick in his palm. "But he's my friend, and... So was Mark. I know I'm supposed to be a leader in this scenario, but I can't help but feel lost. I've known Mark for years, since we were kids... And he's just gone? I don't have any answers right now. I just need to be alone... To process all of this. We'll all talk soon, but I need to think."

"Is that why you left Katie in the other room?" Cherry muttered to herself.

"Yeah, you left Katie with the Colonel." Ethan agreed with Cherry.

Damien took a look at both of them and soon suddenly left yet again.

"Partner, get over here, now!" The detective's voice whispered loudly.

Ethan turned and followed the Detective.

"Hurry up! You're not gonna believe this, I can barely believe this," The detective said to Ethan on the way back inside. "The body. It's gone. It's just fucking disappeared. Look."

Cherry just cupped her mouth, she wasn't very talkative for once, mostly because of how gruesome this party was becoming. Ethan looked surprised that the body was indeed gone.

"Who would move the body...?" Cherry wondered.

"It certainly wasn't me," The detective added onto her query. "No, no. Somebody, NOT ME, must have moved it between the time I was the last person alone with the body in the room and then stepped out for a few minutes to take care of some personal business, that you don't need to know about."

Cherry then narrowed her eyes slightly to that.

"Could have been anybody.... Except me..." The detective then added.

"You keep saying that an awful lot." Ethan said.

"What the hell happened here?" Benjamin asked as he came into the scene.

"The body's been moved." The detective told him.

"On its own?" Benjamin asked.

"No, of course not," The detective replied before looking to Cherry and Ethan. "Unless it did, in which case we've got way bigger problems than a simple murder."

"Boy..." Cherry mumbled.

"What the hell happened here?" The Chef asked as he came in.

Ethan blinked.

"The body's moved." Benjamin informed.

Cherry glanced back at Ethan before looking back to the men.

"On its own?" The Chef asked.

"We haven't quite ruled that out just yet, but let's not forget we've got a murderer." The detective replied.

Cherry glanced outside as more thunder suddenly came even though it was a bright and sunny day outside, but nearly yelped as The Colonel came back, seemingly from nowhere.

"Bully! Quite a storm out there, eh chaps? What are you doing huddled here in fear?" The Colonel asked with a smirk.

"We have a zombie problem." The Chef said.

"Ah! Homonecrosis: the most dangerous game. Well, if someone needs to put the old lad down again, I'm well up for the privilege." The Colonel smirked.

"Where's Katie I wonder" Ethan mused quietly.

"What do you mean by again, and what do you mean by privilege?" The detective asked The Colonel.

Cherry hummed before she decided to go and see if she could find the mourning Katie.

"I'm just saying, I've got plenty of… Experience." The Colonel said.

"So do I." The Chef admitted.

Ethan looked to Cherry. "Be careful." he said quietly.

"Yeah, that just raises more questions." The detective replied.

Benjamin looked dumbfounded by the conversation.

"Well, I'm off to the grounds to see if I can catch a whiff of the old bag of bones, eh?" The colonel grinned and walked off.

"Weren't you and Mark the same age...?" Benjamin softly asked as The Colonel left.

The Colomel laughed as he left, but then coughed.

"Alright, I don't trust him," The detective said, before getting over-the-top at his dramatics. "Then again, I don't trust anyone. Alright, lock this place down. Secure the front gate."

"Locks won't keep people from getting out, sir." Benjamin pointed out.

"Locks won't, but Chef will." Chef told them before going off to guard the front door.

"Look, you're a real smart son of a bitch," The detective said to Benjamin which seemed to disturb him. "Handsome too, beautiful even, but we don't have time for this. I think we forgot the most important question of all during our arousing game of whodunnit."

Benjamin just glanced at him while deep in thought. Ethan looked around from where he stood.

"Why? Why? Come walk with me," The detective continued before gesturing for Ethan to follow him. "Why did he invited us all here? Why tonight? He said we were celebrating something, but he never specified what. It's almost as if this whole shindig of a hootenanny was just a ruse."

Ethan followed.

"Mark was my friend, had been for years, then he went quiet," The detective told Ethan. "I knew something was wrong, I just never figured out what. Now I guess I never will. Look, I'm gonna level with you. You're my new partner. I've been working with them for years. Now I've been doing this for a long time, and I know something is wrong. There is a murderer--"

Insert another thunder clap here. 

"--Here amongst us, and we need to find it, and you look like a trustworthy... Somebody," The detective continued. "I know we just met, but I am an excellent judge of character. Excellent like a fox."

Ethan still followed.

The detective winked back to Ethan, leading him down the hall before he suddenly blurted out in animation. "You don't look like you have any reason to kill him, and if you do..." he then began to laugh to the other man. "Best to keep your enemies close, eh? Wink wink."

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"So the real question we should be asking is: who stood to gain the most from Mark's death?" The detective rhetorically asked as he walked with Ethan throughout the manor before going to another staircase to go up it. "Now, in my thorough analysis of the corpse's anal cavity, I discovered that in addition to being stabbed 37 times, he was also poisoned, beaten, strangled, drowned, and shot. In that order. Now if you ask me, that's a lot of trouble to go through to knock off one guy and it sure as shit is no accident. No. No, my friend. There's gonna be no simple candlestick in the library solution to this whole puzzle. So, we're gonna have to do the detectively thing and go through the victim's most private and personal possessions. Well, after you." He then said, as he lead Ethan to a doorway that was shut for right now. 

Ethan opened the door only to reveal Katie's and Mark's bedroom.

"Oh. It looks rough, but I don't think he was killed here," The detective commented. "Take a look around and see if you find anything, but BE CAREFUL. I've lost three partners before to bedroom booby traps."

Ethan walked in carefully towards the table.

"Make sure you don't tamper with any evidence," The detective continued to order Ethan around. "Let me know if you find anything."

Ethan looked at the photos and found one of the Colonel on his own.

"You find a clue?" The detective asked Ethan.

Ethan lifted the photo up but jumped as the Colonel appeared when he lowered it again.

"You're quite on the case, aren't you? Say, detective, may I borrow your friend here?" The Colonel asked the Detective.

"Yeah, sure," The detective nodded. "Don't worry, partner, I'll handle it from here."

"Bully. Take a walk with me. I thought it was about time that we got to know each other. Someplace far, far away from the prying eyes of… anyone else." The Colonel walked off with Ethan then got into his face. "Come with me. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but you and the Mayor know each other, right? He's a good man, that one. We've been fast friends for as long as I can remember. Now, there came a time when I could have said the same thing about Mark, but… Well, best not to speak ill of the dead." He said as they made their way outside. "Oh! The pool hasn't aged a day." He announced.

The two men were suddenly by the swimming pool and the Colonel seemed to be in swimwear instantly.

The Colonel jumped in the pool. "Geronimo!" He shouted.

Ethan looked surprised.

Katie was now dressed, wearing black again, but no make-up. She was sitting, staring blankly at a wall.

Cherry nodded before gently calling out. "Katie? Katie Kat...? It's Nee-Bear...?"

Katie wiped her eyes then turned to face where Cherry was from. She got up and started to approach.

Cherry looked around, then finally found Katie. "Hey..." she gently called.

Katie looked up at Cherry. "Hey." she said quietly, her eyes rimmed with red, and not just her red glasses.

"You doing all right?" Cherry asked. "I know this must not be easy to live through."

Katie shook her head, with a small sniff. "No, I'm not okay..." she admitted quietly, and then held up a very recognizable smallish white stick with blue lid.

"Is... Is that a pregnancy test...?" Cherry asked, a little uneasy, quite shook up from her nerves of Mark's murder.

Katie nodded, holding it out to her. Cherry shakily held out a hand and took the test carefully from Katie's hand to examine it. Katie rested a hand on her stomach, after Cherry took the test from her. 

Cherry took a look and shook only slightly with magnified eyes. "Whoa..." she muttered. "Holy Plot Twist, Batman..."

"How can I raise this baby by myself? I can't do it without Mark." Katie whispered.

"Oh, Katie..." Cherry frowned softly.

Katie looked up to her. "What am I going to do without him?" She whispered.

"W-What if I helped...?" Cherry offered softly. "I mean... Uh... I may not know about raising children, much, but... What if I helped you?"

"I can't ask you to do that..." Katie said quietly.

"Well, I have to do something to help..." Cherry replied. "I'll be Auntie Cherry~"

Katie looked up to her and gave the tiniest smile. "Alright, but I'll have to tell the others too." she said quietly.

"Fair enough..." Cherry agreed before gently setting the pregnancy test down for right now.

Katie stood up, wiping her eyes.

"Come here, I'm right here~" Cherry soothed her friend.

Katie hugged Cherry. Cherry gently hugged Katie back, what a poor day this had to be for her. Katie decided Damien should be the first to know, as he was Mark's closest friend there.

"Ah, good day, ladies." Damien greeted them.

"Hello." Cherry waved.

"Hello Damien... I, uh, I've got some news." Katie said quietly.

Cherry stood by for emotional and physical support. Katie had always been there and done that for her for years, so it was now time to return the favor.

"Aw, darling, is this about Mark?" Damien asked, putting his arm around her. "It's all right, it's not the end of the world..."

"I... I'm pregnant Damien, M-Mark's of course..." Katie whispered, trying hard not to cry again.

"Oh... I see..." Damien said softly. "How long have you known?"

Cherry came closer beside Katie for comfort.

"I did the test earlier... I-I've been feeling unwell a few days, and I bought a test just in case and i'm pregnant... Ch-Cherry has offered to help but I can't force her to move permanently." Katie whispered, looking up at him from the half hug she was in.

"Oh, what a darling little vixen you are~" Damien cooed to Cherry before offering a hug to Katie.

Cherry squinted her eyes as she felt odd about Damien.

Katie gave him a hug back. "Oh, there's Ethan." she then noticed.

Ethan was looking at the golf course.

"Ah, yes, very good..." Damien nodded as he decided to go over there. "Excuse me, ladies." 

Cherry allowed him to go, but gently patted Katie on the back.

Katie hugged Cherry softly. "Let's go back inside." she suggested.

Ethan jumped as he noticed Damien pop up.

"All right." Cherry nodded, going with Katie back inside of the manor.

Katie leaned against her sister-figure and best friend.

"Tell me if you need anything." Cherry said to Katie.

Katie nodded to her.

"You've helped me all these years, and now, it's my turn." Cherry told her. 

"Would you like to accompany me?" Damien asked Ethan. "There's something that I would very much like to discuss with you."

Ethan followed Damien.

"Now, I know you've been assisting our... Intrepid detective with his investigation, but... I have to bring some concerns of mine to the forefront," Damien said as he walked with Ethan. "If we look at this situation logically, we can only assume that the killer who struck down our dear friend Mark was with us last night. And while I would stake my life on the innocence of the Colonel or yourself, can we really say the same of our beloved detective?"

Ethan continued to follow Damien.

"Or worse yet, mayhaps our counting skills aren't as good as we assume to be," Damien continued to Ethan. "And mayhaps... In the shadows of this manor, unseen to any of us, lay hidden... A murderer."

Of course, this summoned the thunder, but there was soon the sound of a bang inside the manor.


	3. Chapter 3

Katie screamed at the sound of the gunshot, and saw the Colonel facing off with Gabe the Detective. The Colonel was pointing the gun at him. Ethan ran inside, passing Damien as he did, arriving to the scene.

"CHEESE!" Cherry gasped dramatically and scaredly.

"I don't know what you're playing at but you better lower your weapon, you murderer!" The detective glared at the Colonel, holding his own gun against the posh man.

Damien rushed along with Ethan to see what was going on. Katie covered her mouth in horror.

"I bloody well won't, you're the one that assaulted me! For all I know, you could be the murderer!" The Colonel glared.

"What the fu--OH!" The Chef came running in, only to have to stop as the gun was briefly pointed at him.

Cherry stayed beside Katie in support and comfort.

"Last chance, drop your weapon!" The detective glared back.

"Master's prized Vozz!" Benjamin cried in the background.

"Everyone, please!" Damien tried to be the voice of reason. "I know we're all on edge, but can't we resolve this amicably?"

The Colonel glanced around and grabbed Cherry, pointing his gun to her head.

"No!" Katie gasped her face draining of any color.

Cherry let out a high yelp in shock and fright.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Damien told the Colonel. "No need to resort to all of that!"

The Colonel ignored Damien. Ethan looked worried too. Katie looked almost ready to faint.

"This psycho tried to shoot me!" Gabe told Damien.

Cherry shook slightly, she looked quite pale in the face. Benjamin looked faint as well.

"That's a bold-faced lie. I was merely doing some light target practice." The Colonel glared.

"Inside?!" Cherry gasped with a slight wheeze in her voice.

"Well, yes, I couldn't go on the ground now with that bloody chef in my way, could I?" The Colonel announced, pushing the tip of the gun against her head just a bit firmer.

"Damn right you should remember that, Private! Besides, you're not my boss anymore." The chef said, mustering anger to help distract the Colonel.

"It's Colonel, you know." The Colonel glared.

Katie whimpered quietly for Cherry.

"Enough of this horseshit!" Gabe glared towards The Colonel. "You knew I was onto you and you were trying to whack me off before I could finger you... As the murderer, and not to mention that you now have a hostage!"

Cherry looked around as she looked like she was going to be physically and mentally sick.

"I will not be called a murderer in my own home!" The Colonel exclaimed, pointing his gun at Gabe, shoving Cherry aside, rather him having freedom to storm forwards than to have to be slow with a hostage.

Cherry yelped and fell to the floor with an astonished look on her face.

"Stop!" A female voice called out. "What are you doing?!"

"Who the hell are you?" Gabe asked the estranged woman.

"Celine? What are you doing here?" The Colonel asked.

Katie dropped to her knees beside Cherry, checking she was okay.

"'Celine'?" Gabe asked the Colonel. "How do you know her?"

"Madame, I'm afraid you've come at a very inopportune time," Benjamin told the woman. "Something dreadful has happened here."

"I can see that, and I'm glad I got here before it got any worse." Celine replied.

Cherry looked up to Katie, feeling more safe and calm when with the other girl who she had a sororal bond with.

"This is only the tip of the iceberg! And it's a big iceberg. How can I put this delicately... MARK'S FUCKING DEAD!" The Chef shouted.

Katie started to cry, though silently, at the Chef's outburst and the relief Cherry was alright for the most part.

"What?!" Celine gasped.

Cherry took a few deep breaths to settle herself down.

"Dead like my hopes and dreams. And he's a flesh eating zombie, too!" The Chef then added.

Ethan helped the two girls stand.

Katie sniffled. "Oh, what the heck..." she muttered. "I'm pregnant!" She announced.

Suddenly, the tables turned onto Katie. Cherry gently patted Katie's hands while she looked over to everyone else.

"You're pregnant?" Gabe asked her.

"No..." Cherry weakly deadpanned, though not able or willing to finish her sarcastic statement.

The Chef looked shocked.

"You, you are?!" The Colonel asked surprised.

Ethan blinked. "Aww, a baby~" he whispered.

Katie nodded to their questions, tears dripping down her cheeks.

"She is..." Cherry softly told the others.

"Oh, my dear..." Celine gasped as she came to Katie. "Here, let me help you~"

The Colonel looked surprised. Ethan glanced at everybody.

Katie gave Celine a hug. "But Mark's dead, Lini..." she whispered sadly.

"How... How did he... Die...?" Celine asked in the hug, comforting both Katie, and herself. 

Cherry frowned as she watched Katie and Celine as this was not a good day for anybody.

"It was murder." Damien told Celine, summoning another thunder clap.

Katie trembled at the word and the thunder.

"And worse yet, the body is missing." Damien then added.

"What? Show me," Celine frowned. "And don't say that word."

"What word? Murder?" The Chef asked, looking about at a thunder clap and lightning.

Katie hugged her sister-in-law still. Ethan put a soothing arm around Cherry too.

"Yes!" Celine told him while hugging Katie. "That word!"

"Well, I mean murder, is a rather accurate description of what occur--" Benjamin replied.

"Do you not see that lightning?" Celine glared.

"You sayin' it was lightning that murdered Mark?" Gabe asked her during the strikes. 

"Poor Katie." Cherry frowned, really wanting to help.

"Well, Mother Nature doesn't really strike me as having murderous," The Colonel started only to be interrupted by the thunder and lightning. "-intent... Unless you count that time I was pulled into the board game Jumanji and I--!" He started to say.

"Stop! Stop!" Katie pleaded sadly.

Ethan looked around at everyone still.

"Look, whatever's happening here is tapping into forces far beyond our control." Celine added as she comforted her poor sister-in-law.

"Is that canon?" Cherry whispered offhandedly about the board game called Jumanji.

"...Murder." the Chef said after giving a cheeky smile. He looked up as the thunder and lightning clapped and flashed.

The Colonel decided to do a small test. "Mur...Doch?" He tried only for nothing to happen.

"Marco--!" Benjamin even tried out.

"Enough!" Celine shut the men up before they were all suddenly sitting down together. "Look, Mark's death is a terrible thing, indeed. But I fear that there are forces much darker than anything we've seen here today. I'm well versed in the arcane arts, but if you, untrained and uninitiated, can summon lightning with a mere word, we're all in far graver danger than anything we could ever hope to face alone. We're gonna have to work together if we're gonna survive this."

"Celine, what are you proposing?" Damien asked.

"I think we need to speak with Mark." Cherry said which made Celine nod as that was what she had meant.

"I knew it! He's a flesh-eating zombie!" The chef exclaimed.

Ethan was quiet as he looked to everyone as they spoke. Katie was sat with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands looking blankly into the cup.

"No--" Celine tried to explain.

Cherry looked over to Katie, feeling very sad and sorry for her.

"Well, maybe one of those smart zombies: homeo sapio zombifus!" The Colonel suggested.

Katie took a mechanical sip of her hot drink.

"No, no!" Celine glared. "I need to commune with the dead."

"That... Doesn't sound like a good idea." Gabe commented.

"Well, it's a good thing I don't need your permission," Celine said before pointing a finger towards Cherry and Ethan. "But YOU! You've been awfully quiet through this whole thing." 

"I..." Cherry muttered.

"With those beady little eyes." the Chef glared.

Ethan blinked and looked at each person.

"And wearing THOSE rags, pff." Benjamin scoffed.

"Maybe I shouldn't have trusted someone so goddamn gorgeous." Gabe huffed.

Cherry looked around in slight annoyance and disturbance.

"Oh, I'll pass." The Colonel said.

Ethan then looked back to Celine. Katie took another sip of the hot chocolate.

"But I feel like I can trust you," Celine said to Ethan. "I sense that you have a far greater part to play in all of this. Will you help me find an answer?"

Cherry wasn't sure what to say, psychics or mediums were something she had to see herself to believe, though she had faith in Celine, as she was Mark's sister and all.

Ethan nodded. "Can Cherry join us?" He asked.

"That sounds fair enough." Celine accepted.

Cherry looked over as her name was brought up. Ethan smiled slightly.

Katie finished her hot chocolate. "Anyone want something from the kitchen?" She asked in a quiet monotone.

"Perfect," Celine said. "Both of you come with me."

"Alright, that's enough," Gabe interrupted the leaving before standing up straight. "I'm not gonna just sit around and let you drag my partner off to their very likely death. I won't stand for it!"

"I wouldn't mind a glass of water, my dear." Damien pried.

"Well, I trust Celine with all my heart! I see no reason why an-any-anyone should doubt her!" The Colonel announced.

Katie stood and nodded. She slowly made her way to the kitchen. Damien smirked to Katie on her way out. Cherry glanced all around the table. 

"Well, I have to agree with our intrepid detective, here," Benjamin stated. "It just doesn't seem natural."

"I never liked this uptight asshole. He walks around with a stick up his ass. But I think he's right. Something's weird." The Chef agreed.

Ethan looked back to Celine. Katie went into the kitchen and made a cup of water for Damien as well as a cup of juice for herself.

"If it makes you guys feel any better, you can stand watch outside the door, but my work cannot be interrupted." Celine sighed.

"Oh, believe you me," Gabe replied. "I'll be keeping a close eye on every single one of you. Even myself. Especially myself."

Cherry glanced and shook her head oddly about the strange detective. Ethan stood up, offering a hand to help Cherry up. Katie came out, handing the glass of water to Damien.

"Ah, yes, thank you, my dear." Damien smiled as he accepted the glass of water and took a quick drink.

Cherry stood up a bit better as she came with Ethan to go with Celine. Ethan gave a small smile to Cherry. Katie nodded and took a sip of her juice.

"Wh--Celine? Celine!" Damien called out. "Wait!"

"Yes, Damien?" Celine turned to her.

The two talked for a bit to check in with each other. Cherry gave a small, weak smile back to Ethan. Ethan walked up the stairs with Cherry. The others except Katie followed to wait outside the door. Katie sat down in the nearest vacated chair. Celine soon came with Ethan and Cherry to get down to business. Damien allowed them to go before sitting back down with his glass of water. Ethan looked around carefully as they followed Celine.

"Could you hand me my bag?" Celine asked Ethan as he was closest to her. 

Ethan turned to look where she pointed only to see no bag.

"Thank you," Celine said as she soon had her bag and set it down beside her seat. "Please, have a seat."

Cherry soon found her own seat and sat down to get comfortable. Ethan sat in a seat facing Celine.

"Now, I'm sure this must be unsettling for you, being thrust into this series of unfortunate events," Celine said as she got settled in and ready to do what she needed to do. "But I promise: with your help, I am going to get to the bottom of this."

"Please do." Cherry said softly.

Ethan nodded.

"Now, I'm not sure who would want to kill Mark, but something tells me this seemingly significant event is actually a footnote in a much larger mystery unfolding in our midst," Celine said as she looked through cards she had on the table in front of her. "I've never been very comfortable in this house. But something tells me... Now that my eyes are open, there are dark forces surrounding this manor. Keep your enemies close, eh?"

Ethan looked into her eyes and suddenly visions of the past swum in front of his eyes. Cherry's eyes grew wide at the supernatural elements. A few minutes later, after a thunder clap Ethan snapped back to reality.

"What happened?" Celine asked Ethan. "Why did you stop? Did you see something? Someone?"

Cherry looked between the two. Ethan nodded.

"Draw it." Celine urged, handing him some paper.

Cherry looked curiously between Ethan and Celine. Ethan drew a, admittedly not very good, picture of someone digging a hole. He handed the drawing back over to her.

Katie turned her distant eyes to Damien. "What am I going to do, Damien?" She asked quietly.

"Oh, there, there, everything is going to be all right..." Damien comforted.

Katie looked at him. "Is it?" She asked softly.

"I know it will, every cloud has a silver lining~" Damien leaned forward with a smirk. "Besides, Mark wouldn't want you down."

Katie looked at him, not able to cry anymore tears for now due to her tear-ducts being empty. Her hands moved to rest on her stomach.

Damien soon reached out to put his hand on her hand. "You can get through this..." he promised her.

Katie looked to the man who could be Mark's twin, and due to her grief filled senses she could almost see him as Mark returned to her. She gave a small slow nod.

"You are a strong woman, and I can see why Mark would choose you... I would..." Damien smirked innocently.

Katie looked at him still. She then looked down a moment at where his hand was on hers.

Damien had a small smile, and he soon retracted his hand and sipped more of his water. "Ah~..."

Katie finished her juice then stood to go upstairs, turning her back to Damien.

"Maybe we should see what's going on up there." Damien suggested like he thought of it before she did.

"Yes." Katie said quietly, starting to walk up the stairs.

Damien soon walked up with Katie. Katie looked at the others as they arrived upstairs.

"What is this?" Celine asked as she took the paper. "This doesn't answer anything! You need to go back! Go back, now!"

Ethan looked weirded out. Katie wrapped her arms carefully around her stomach.

"C'mon, partner, let's go," Gabe told Ethan while Celine and Damien had a little spat. "Come on! Hurry it up!"

Ethan was pulled along by Gabe. He glanced at Cherry who had a soft frown for Katie. Katie looked between Damien and Celine. Cherry looked to Ethan and decided to go with him and the detective. Damien and Celine erupted into an argument much to Katie's misfortune.

"Stop... Stop fighting." Katie whispered.

"Yes, Celine, stop fighting." Damien said.

Celine gave him a look while frowning softly to Katie.

"Both of you, please..." Katie whispered looking at them pleadingly.

"Oh, Katie, I'm so sorry I've been immature..." Damien told Katie as he came beside her, wrapping his arm around her. 

Celine just rolled her eyes to that. Katie sniffled softly, but leaned against him due to the comfort from hugs.

"It's all right... You must be so scared and sad about this whole thing..." Damien coaxed.

Katie nodded, sniffling.

"Oh, I really wish I could help you out in this state." Damien soothed.

Katie flinched at the sound of the argument starting outside the room.

"Now what?" Celine sighed. "I should probably go in there."

Katie looked to Celine softly.

The chef came up nearby. Ethan looked between the detective and the others there.

"Hurry it up!" Gabe told Ethan before looking at the paper. "What did she do to you? What is this? Butler! Butler!"

Cherry felt a strange jolt when the detective called out 'Butler'. The chef looked at Benjamin. Ethan glanced to Cherry.

"What?" Benjamin asked. "What is it?"

"This mean anything to you?" Gabe asked, handing over the crude drawing.

Cherry just glanced back at him. The chef glanced. Ethan then turned his attentiom to Gabe, Benjamin and the chef.

"This mean anything to you?" Gabe asked.

"Well, maybe... No, sorry." Benjamin replied.

"Spit it out if you got something!" Gabe demanded.

Cherry looked annoyed and flustered.

"Well... It could be our groundskeeper, George, but he only works on weekdays." Benjamin suggested. 

"Looks like your friend here may disagree with that notion!" Gabe then pointed sharply towards the chef.

"Me?" The Chef asked surprised.

"Yeah, you." Gabe demanded. 

"I don't know shit. I plead the fifth, man." The chef spat.

"Chef, if you know something, for God's sake, spit it out!" Benjamin begged.

"Okay, alright, you're twisting my arm," The Chef said. "Alright. George has been living on the grounds for years."

"I don't care what the fuck he is!" Gabe glared.

"Look, all this arguing is getting us nowhere!" Damien interrupted as Celine was about to stop the men. "Just go outside and talk to this George and be done with it!"

"Hold on a sec," Gabe said to him. "You're not coming with us?"

"I-I need to stay here with Katie." Damien replied.

Katie glanced up at Damien. Ethan looked over.

"She doesn't need help," Celine glared. "Especially from you!"

Cherry had a bad feeling about Damien nagging her from the back of her mind.

"OUR FRIEND IS DEAD!" Damien exclaimed before settling himself down. "I'm sorry. I just need answers to all of this. I already lost one friend today. I don't want to lose another."

Katie flinched at that exclamation and paled, eyes tearing up again.

"Fine, but I need to stay here." Celine said for Katie's sake.

"Fine with me." Damien nodded.

"Fine, good, yeah, whatever, who cares?" Gabe rolled his eyes. "Alright, you're coming with me. Partner, you too."

"Guys... Something's not right here..." Cherry spoke up.

Katie buried her face in his top coat.

"Will you come too, Cherry?" Ethan asked quietly.

"See?" Damien said to Celine. "She needs me."

Celine just sighed and rolled her eyes to that.

"Sure, but something's missing..." Cherry said. "Where's The Colonel?"

"Well, he appeared tired, and... Went back to his room." Benjamin told her.

"I'm sure he did, and with any luck, he'll stay there," Gabe replied before barking orders, but finally turned to the chef for help. "Alright, let's roll out. Come on. Move it. Come on, partner, come on! Lead the way, Cookie."

Katie's shoulders started to shake with her silent crying.

"Cookie? I'm not your Cookie! I spent three weeks at culinary school! I earned the right to be called a Chef!" The Chef glared but was prepared to lead them to George.

"Oh, there, there..." Damien comforted Katie. "I'm right here, my dear..."

Cherry quietly snickered to that, putting her hand to her mouth.

"I am very impressed," Gabe replied. "Just tell us where we're going!"

Katie looked up at him, tears down her cheeks and her breath hitching from the crying. The chef led them outside. Ethan looked around warily. George was digging.

"It's night time already?" Cherry asked, surprised.

"I think I see him," Gabe glared to the gardener. "Hey! Buddy! Hands where I can see 'em!"

"Hey, my hands are where they're supposed to be," George frowned. "Unless, of course, you'd like to dig this hole for yourself." 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Gabe asked George.

Cherry wasn't sure why, but George seemed familiar to her own mind somehow, someway, and somewhat.

"I'm the groundskeeper. I keep the ground, alright? I'd say look around. The ground is pretty well kept in this place, right?" George said.

The chef looked at George. "I'm sorry, man, this dick made me bring him out here." He apologized.

Ethan looked at them.

"You shut up. How do you not know about the murders going on in this house?" Gabe asked, of course, making a thunder clap from the M word. "How do you not hear that lightning?"

"Because you don't hear lightning..." Cherry muttered, a little annoyed.

"Lightning's the sky's business! Look at the ground! When the ground starts shooting up lightning, I'll let you know!" George told them.

"Alright then, smart ass, why exactly are you digging that hole?" Gabe demanded as he kept his gun handy. "And why shouldn't we suspect you for taking part in the death of your employer?"

"Employers come and go! Some die, some don't, some are murdered, some are not. It's not my business! I'm digging this hole for a burst water pipe, if that's alright with your gracefulness!" George stated.

"See, I told you. George didn't do nothin', man!" Chef exclaimed.

"See? I just did nothing." George then added.

Cherry tried not to complain about the grammar as that would just get her into trouble.

"Forgive me for not taking you at face value, but we're all gonna come inside, we're gonna sit down, and have a nice lovely chat, and get to the bottom of this before I lose my mind, and start dabbling in murder myself!" Gabe decided, sounding slightly insane.

"Now, you listen to me, sonny. It's been fifteen years since I've been in that house. And I am not about to break that winning streak now. I don't care how many murders there've been. I ain't going near that house!" George said. "However, there is one reason. One incident. One manifestation... That will get me into that mad house. You had better pray to God that reason never comes to pass" 

Cherry looked around as there was oddly no thunder clap when George said 'murders' as she looked around the other men, but soon, the thunder came once George finished his sentence.

Cherry rolled her eyes, but she soon rushed inside with them.

"Go, go!" Gabe told Ethan.

George ran in, leading the way. Ethan followed.

"Oh, poor Katie, I wish there was something I could do." Celine frowned for her sister-in-law.

"Or I..." Damien added mysteriously.

Katie looked between them.

"Are you thirsty or hungry?" Celine asked Katie, not wanting to leave her alone with the dark man. "Damien could get you something."

"I feel sick." Katie whispered.

"Damien, go get the poor girl a drink." Celine said.

"I shall..." Damien agreed as he soon left the two women alone.

Katie went to the nearest bathroom to throw up. Celine frowned in nervousness and anxiety for Katie, but tried to keep herself together. Once alone though, she bowed her head and began to weep for her brother's death, even if she seemed unaffected by it at first. Katie came out a couple of minutes later, following flushing the toilet and washing her hands and face.

Celine kept weeping, but then heard Katie and Damien coming back and tried to look calm, quiet, and collective. Katie however could see Celine had been crying and hugged her softly. Celine hugged Katie back, trying to stay strong. Katie closed her eyes, while trying not to cry, after all Celine needed her too. Damien sat next to the woman as they comforted each other, though he seemed to hide a not-so innocent smirk.

George ran in, leading the way. Katie opened her eyes then to glance at Damien. Ethan followed. Cherry looked stuck as she looked around.

"Go!" Gabe told her, making her move up the steps after George and Ethan.

Damien gave a small wave towards Katie. Katie gave a loud yelp as some sort of energy pushed her back into Damien. Celine seemed to be possessed as she stood in the doorway.

"Somebody help me!" George exclaimed as he tried to shut the door.

Ethan helped automatically.

"What the hell is going on? Where is Celine?" The Colonel asked as he arrived.

"She's gone, and so is everyone else." George stated, thinking that true.

Damien hid another smirk as he soon came to 'comfort Katie'. Katie sobbed softly from fear as Celine seemed to just drop to the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

"What... Happened...?" Cherry muttered slightly, feeling lost, dazed, and confused.

"Wait a minute!" Gabe glared at George. "Where the hell do you think you're going?!"

Katie sobbed softly from fear as Celine seemed to just drop to the floor.

"Away from here. This place is cursed! If you had half a brain, you'd all do the same." George announced.

The Colonel tried to stop him. "Don't walk away from me. Where's Celine? Where's Damien? Where's Katie?" He asked.

The Chef glared. "I've spent 25 years cooking for these uppity fucks, and the only one who was nice was Misstress Katie... But I'm not about to die for 'em. I QUIT! BITCH!" He announced and walked off.

Ethan took Cherry's hand.

"Shh, shh, it's over~" Damien soothed.

Katie looked up to him with tear-filled eyes.

"There, there..." Damien comforted as he gently stroked her hair. "You poor thing, you've been through so much~" 

Katie looked into his brown eyes. "They're gone." she whimpered.

"It's okay." Damien comforted.

Katie cuddled up to him. She needed the comfort. Damien soothed and comforted the lady of the house only to be widowed overnight. Katie closed her eyes and just for a second allowed herself to believe he was Mark. Damien soon stroked her hair calmly. Katie's crying soon died down into sniffling.

"Oh, my poor dear~" Damien cooed.

"What am I going to do?" Katie whispered.

"What can you do?" Damien replied softly. "It's not like you can replace him~"

Katie whimpered to that.

"You're surrounded by friends who will love and support you just the same." Damien soothed.

"Dear... God..." Cherry muttered, but gently squeezed Ethan's hand.

"I know things seem far beyond your control right now, but such that it is for all of us here," Benjamin comforted the Colonel. "I shall take my leave, and I implore you to do the same."

Ethan swallowed nervously.

"I won't let my friends die in this god forsaken house! And if you all are too much of a coward to do the same, you would best leave before I kill you myself." The Colonel glared and turned to fetch something.

"Now you hold on a second," Gabe demanded, putting his hand on The Colonel's shoulder. "I've got more questions--"

Cherry looked a little queasy and uneasy, she suddenly began to look a little limp from the overwhelming circumstances.

"Get your hands off me!" The Colonel exclaimed and walked off.

"Come on, let's go downstairs." Ethan whispered.

"What the hell's going on here?" Gabe demanded.

"I know he's in pain, and I know you might be too..." Benjamin said. "But we need to leave this place. There's only death here now."

Cherry was about to walk there, but she soon suddenly fell to the floor before making it to the staircase.

Ethan heard something, glanced over but suddenly felt very strange. He seemed dazed and picked Cherry up, laying her on a sofa before coming to the Detective's office.

"There you are! I've been meaning to ask you some questions-" the Colonel started, then noticed the room. "What is this? The detective's been keeping tabs on us? ...The detective's been keeping tabs on me. And Celine! He's the one who orchestrated all of this! He did this! Detective! DETECTIVE! Where is he? He took them from me... He took my friends from ME. He took... Celine. He took Damien. WHERE is he? WHERE IS HE?! DETECTIVE! Are you hiding from me?! He can't hide forever. GET OUT OF MY WAY. DETECTIVE!" He ranted and yelled, pushing past Ethan and puloing out his gun, and soon came across the Detective upstairs.

Cherry seemed to black out for a little while, but she would be okay once she would see again and take a minute.

"You'd better choose your next words carefully, Colonel." Gabe warned as he held out his gun.

"Only my friends get to call me by that name, and you, sir, are NO friend of mine!" The Colonel exclaimed.

Ethan looked at the two men, worried.

"Ha, you're one to talk about friends, you MURDERER!" Gabe scoffed with a thunder clap.

"I didn't kill anybody! This is MADNESS!" The Colonel exclaimed.

"Oh, you wanna talk about madness?" Gabe glared. "Madness is stealing your best friend's sister. Madness is squeezing him for cash to fund your own sick sexual exploits with that very woman--"

"SHUT UP!" The Colonel yelled.

"Madness is plotting the death of your childhood friend because you can't handle the tru--" Gabe glared.

The Colonel shot Gabe. Ethan fought with the Colonel only to be shot in the shoulder, falling off the balcony.

"It was an accident! ...I swear." The Colonel exclaimed.

Cherry seemed to shift in her black out, almost like she could sense Ethan's fatal incident.

Katie yelped at the two gunshots. "No, no more." she whimpered.

Ethan was blacked out and saw Celine and Damien. It was only Limbo though, so he wasn't quite dead.

"It's not fair, is it?" A voice asked Ethan before coming out as Damien with Celine by his side. "He took everything from us. He trapped us in here with this broken shell and no way out."

"It's true," Celine added. "This whole time I thought it was the house, but... I never thought he'd fall this far."

Ethan looked to the two.

"And we played right into his hands," Damien said. "He'd been planning this for years, and now that son-of-a-bitch is out there walking around in MY body."

"Damien, we can't do this right now," Celine told him. "Look, I know you have questions, and I can't answer everything right now. Just know that Mark took everything from us from his twisted quest of vengeance. But death does not mean the same thing here."

Ethan looked confused.

"What Celine means by that is... This doesn't have to be the end," Damien said to Ethan, seeing how confused he looked. "You're still trapped in here the same as us, but your body is still out there. Broken as it may be, it's still out there."

"Mark's not the only one who can use this place to his benefit," Celine added. "The same way I brought you here is the same way that I can send you back."

"I guess... But I shouldn't be dead, I was only hit in the shoulder and knocked out." Ethan said, somehow knowing this was true, though he probably did have a fracture somewhere.

"But you can't survive on your own," Damien replied. "You're dead, after all. My friend, the Colonel sought to that."

Ethan frowned, as obviously they hadn't listened.

"I know this all sounds crazy," Damien replied. "Honestly, I don't know what the fuck is going on. But I know that I trust Celine. And if you trust us… Just let me in. We can fix this. Together."

"I won't force this upon you," Celine said to Ethan. "You have a choice here. Just know this is the only way that you can escape."

Ethan nodded, slowly.

"Just relax." Celine advised.

"This'll work. I promise." Damien added.

Katie looked up to Damien and as the events caught up with her, her eyes filled with tears again but a tiny smile appeared, it was all too much and her mind snapped a little. "Mark?" She whispered as she looked up at him.

"Hm?" Damien glanced at her slightly at her naming.

"I thought you were dead, Mark." Katie whispered, reaching up and touching his cheek.

"Um... Well... I just wanted to surprise you." Damien lied, going along with this with a smirk.

Katie gave a teary laugh. "You always were a joker..." she said softly. She then took one of his hands to rest on her stomach. "We're going to have a baby." she told him.

"Oh, this is a pleasant surprise, I've always wanted to be a father of your child, Katie~" Damien smirked as he took a feel.

"You won't feel them yet, but soon we'll have a baby." Katie whispered, with a small smile.

"I'm quite excited." Damien smiled back.

Katie leaned in to hug him. Damien hugged Katie back.


End file.
